ch united
them.

[315] _Memoir_, p. 130.

[316] _Memoir_, p. 157.

[317] Mr. Gifford.

[318] Fanny Knight.

[319] Mary Cooke.

[320] Fanny Knight.

[321] Mary Cooke.

[322] Mr. Clarke.

[323] Mr. Sherer.

[324] Mary Cooke.

[325] Many critics.

[326] Mary Cooke.

[327] Fanny Knight.

[328] Mrs. Pearse of Chilton Lodge.

[329] Fanny Knight.

[330] Mrs. Craven.

[331] Mr. H. Sanford.

CHAPTER XIX

AUNT JANE

1814-1817

Any attempt at depicting the charm and attractiveness of Jane Austen's
character must be quite incomplete if it fails to take into account the
special manner in which she showed these qualities as an aunt. She
herself says in joke to a young niece that she had always maintained the
importance of aunts; and she evidently felt, in all seriousness, the
responsibility of that relationship, though she would have been one of
the last to display her sense of it by any didactic or authoritative
utterance. The author of the _Memoir_ tells us that her two nieces who
were grown up in her lifetime could say how valuable to them had been
her advice in 'the little difficulties and doubts of early womanhood';
and Lord Brabourne quotes here and there extracts from his mother's
diary, such as these: 'Aunt Jane and I had a very interesting
conversation'; 'Aunt Jane and I had a delicious morning together'; 'Aunt
Jane and I very snug'; and so on, until the sad ending: 'I had the
misery of losing my dear Aunt Jane after a lingering illness.'

Some letters of hers to three of her nieces give a good idea of her
value and importance to them, whether as grown women or as
children.[332]

Fanny Knight, sensible as she was, and early accustomed to
responsibility, felt at a loss how to distinguish in her own mind
between inclination and love when seriously courted in 1814 by a man of
unexceptionable position and character. A reference to her aunt brought
her two delightful letters.[333] No definite opinion was expressed or
formal advice given in these letters, but they must have helped her by
their sympathy, and cleared her mind by the steadiness with which they
contemplated the case in all its bearings.

Chawton: Friday [November 18, 1814].

I feel quite as doubtful as you could be, my
dearest Fanny, as to _when_ my letter may be
finished, for I can command very little quiet time
at present; but yet I must begin, for I kno